Jason A. Voelkel, 36, of the 100 block of East Acton Avenue, Wood River, was charged Thursday with criminal sexual assault, and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

When Debbie Lovell of Alton was watching a program on the Food Network, she was shocked to learn that 12 million children in the U.S. suffer from hunger.

Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington won Tuesday's Democratic primary and will face the Republican primary winner, Kyle Jacobs, in the November general election.

Ewan J. Jason, 19, of the 1200 block of Hampton Avenue, Alton, was charged Monday with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Madison County's newest associate judge said Friday at his swearing-in ceremony that he always considered the term "mouthpiece" - as applied to lawyers - as an honor, even though most people used it in a derogatory sense.

The parents of Brandi Nicole Oelzen and Ryan Eugene Geisler are announcing the couple's engagement and forthcoming wedding, which will take place Saturday, Feb.

Someone smashed two of the four large concrete urns anchoring the corners of a patio by Haskell Playhouse, disappointing neighbors who bought the ornate flower pots in 2006.

When a major earthquake struck southern Haiti two weeks ago Bill Baker of East Alton desperately waited to here news about his son who does missionary work in the Caribbean country.

As a second-grade teacher, her classroom includes gifted students as well as those with learning and behavioral difficulties.

David R. Thornton was appointed Wednesday to the Madison County Board, replacing Michelle Ruppert, who resigned to take a job as the county's chief deputy recorder of deeds.

The fate of the fire-ravaged Mansion House was uncertain Friday, concerning people who appreciate historic buildings, Alton's past and the stretch of old homes on lower State Street.

The Alton Police Department's Citizens Police Academy will return for the second time, with this year's program to be held at Lewis and Clark Community College.

An Alton credit union and a bank notified six customers Monday that someone rang up 32 debits on their accounts totaling thousands of dollars at Florida businesses in recent days.

A number of facilities will be open today for people who need somewhere to go to get warm.

Two teenagers were rushed to a hospital by ambulance just before midnight on New Year's Eve after passing out at a party, and Madison County Sheriff Robert Hertz said action by an anonymous caller may have saved their lives.

A 22-year-old East Alton man who was killed in a crash Dec. 6 was texting and under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, the office of Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn reported today.

Brian J. Dickey, 26, of the first block of West Woodland Avenue, East Alton, was charged Monday with unlawful methamphetamine conspiracy, unlawful possession of meth manufacturing materials and unlawful possession of pseudoephedrine.

An East Alton man has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence and driving while license revoked after a recent driving incident in Cottage Hills, the Madison County Sheriff's Department reports.

The village plans to continue adding to its housing stock with the help of a $225,000 grant.

Jorden A. Slone, 20, of the 200 block of North Central Avenue, Wood River, and Nathan K. Twente, 17, of the 200 block of East McCasland Avenue, East Alton, were charged Monday with burglary and criminal damage to government-supported property.